Jennifer Hudson takes the stand in family murder trial

Jennifer Hudson yesterday (April 23) took the stand as the first witness in the trial of the man accused of killing three members of her family, including her mother, in 2008 in Chicago.

William Balfour is the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson's sister and is accused of murdering her mother, brother and her sister's seven-year-old son. It is alleged that Balfour shot the three in a jealous rage.

"We didn't like the way he treated her, and I didn't like the way he treated my nephew," said the singer and actress yesterday (April 23) in a Chicago courtroom, of Balfour and her sister. Prosecutors allege that he acted out of spite after his estranged wife said she wanted to divorce him, reports AFP.

Hudson was apparently 'chocking back tears' as she testified against Balfour, pictured right. AFP states that Hudson's testimony did not offer much insight into the murders, but "painted a picture of a close-knit family torn apart by a violent crime".

Though prosecutors offered a 'chilling account' of the three murders, Balfour's own lawyer Amy Thompson said there was no DNA evidence, fingerprints or gunshot residue to link him to the murders, adding: "This is not your guy. William Balfour is not the killer."